Compounds for topical pain relief have had widespread use. These compounds may provide pain relief in some circumstances when applied topically, however many products used to relieve pain only offer temporary relief and do not promote healing. Further, many topical pain relief compounds include camphor and/or capsaicin are known to cause skin irritation and considered malodorous. Capsicum is an oleoresin obtained by extracting cayenne pepper with ether. It has been used for many years in compositions intended for pain relief yet having undesirable skin irritants.
Patients having injured joints or damaged soft tissues generally do not benefit from these compounds, where they promote temporary pain relief but do little for tissue healing. Specifically, these compounds are ineffective transcutaneous carriers and do not transport tissue healing compounds past the skin to affected joint and soft tissue regions.
In other compounds using capsicum as a pain relief, n-decylmethyl sulfoxide is used as a transcutaneous carrier, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,910 (Crandall, W. T., Oct. 1, 1996) which teaches a topical anti-inflammatory composition containing bromelain, capsaicin and a penetrating agent selected from n-decylmethyl sulfoxide and lecithin organogel. Though these compounds having n-decylmethyl sulfoxide as a transcutaneous carrier are known to reduce pain, skin irritation and unpleasant odors are common to the use of capicum.
Other topical compositions for providing pain relief and anti-inflammatory action are known in the art, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,879 (Adekunle, M. et al., Jan. 12, 1993) discloses a topical pain relief gel containing capsaicin, water, alcohol and a carboxypolymethylene emulsifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,491 (Moniz, H., Feb. 22, 1994) discloses a method for processing the noni (Morinda citrifolia) plant into powder for use in therapeutic compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,910 (Crandall, W. T., Oct. 1, 1996) further discloses a topical anti-inflammatory composition containing bromelain, capsaicin and a penetrating agent selected from n-decylmethyl sulfoxide and lecithin organogel.
What is needed is a transcutaneous composition for application near a painful region to provide injured joint and soft tissues with elements that promote tissue healing, pain relief and muscle relaxation, and that is non-irritating to the skin, easily absorbed, fast acting and pleasant to smell.